Fan structure

ABSTRACT

A fan structure includes a cap, a fixing shaft, a bearing, an impeller and a protection lid, wherein the cap comprises a bottom portion, a body and an accommodating space. The fixing shaft is disposed within the accommodating space, a first end portion of the fixing shaft couples the bottom portion, and a second end portion of the fixing shaft protrudes to the body. The bearing couples to the fixing shaft, the second end portion of the fixing shaft protrudes to the bearing, and a hub of the impeller couples to the bearing. The second end portion of the fixing shaft protrudes to the hub. The protection lid couples to the second end portion of the fixing shaft to prevent lubricants for lubricating the bearing from splashing. The protection lid provides the impeller with protection to prevent the impeller from being compressed by external force to avoid destruction.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is generally related to a fan structure, whichparticularly relates to the fan structure with a protection lid coupledto a fixing shaft for preventing compressed fan structure fromdestruction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern electronic goods, such as notebook or tablet personal computer,emphasize a trend toward thinner and lighter. However, at least one fanmust be installed around those electronic devices within mentionedproducts for heat dissipation to avoid destruction of the electronicdevices by overheat.

With reference to FIG. 5, a fan structure 10 being installed withinmentioned products (not shown in Figs.) includes a substrate 11, afixing shaft 12 fixed on the substrate 11, a bearing 13 coupled to thefixing shaft 12 and an impeller 14 coupled to the bearing 13. When theimpeller 14 is driven to rotate, lubricants utilized for lubricating thebearing 13 splash through rotating impeller 14, and mentioned lubricantsthereafter gradually decreases in volume, which results in abrasionbetween the fixing shaft 12 and the bearing 13 and noise generation.Further, when the fan structure 10 is installed within electronic goods,a case (or a keyboard) of electronic goods compressed by a user or adeformed case (or a deformed keyboard) of electronic goods may press theimpeller 14 of the fan structure 10 to make the impeller 14 failed tooperate for heat dissipation.

SUMMARY

The present invention is to overcome the disadvantage that lubricantsutilized for lubricating a bearing splash from a fan structure, and alsoprevents the fan structure compressed by a case (such as a keyboard or apanel) of electronic goods from destruction.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a fanstructure including a cap, a fixing shaft, a bearing, an impeller and aprotection lid, wherein the cap comprises a bottom portion, a body andan accommodating space. The fixing shaft is disposed within theaccommodating space and comprises a first end portion, a second endportion and a middle portion located between the first end portion andthe second end portion, wherein the first end portion is coupled to thebottom portion of the cap, and the second end portion protrudes to thebody. The bearing is disposed within the accommodating space of the capand comprises an axial hole coupled to the middle portion of the fixingshaft. The second end portion of the fixing shaft protrudes to thebearing. The impeller comprises a hub coupled to the bearing and apenetration hole formed at the hub, wherein the second end portion ofthe fixing shaft passes through the penetration hole and protrudes tothe hub. The protection lid is coupled to the second end portion of thefixing shaft, and the hub is spaced apart from the protection lid by aninterval. When the impeller of the fan structure is driven to rotate,the protection lid may block and prevent lubricants utilized forlubricating the bearing from splashing. Furthermore, when the fanstructure is installed within a notebook or a tablet personal computer,the fixing shaft and the protection lid can prevent a case, a keyboardor a panel of electronic goods from compressing the impeller to avoidfailed operation of the fan structure for the reason that the protectionlid couples to the second end portion of the fixing shaft and covers thetop of the hub. Additionally, there is no interference occurred betweenthe protection lid and the hub.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a section view illustrating a fan structure in accordance witha first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial section view illustrating a fan structure inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a section view illustrating a fan structure in accordance witha second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a section view illustrating a fan structure in accordance witha third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a section view illustrating a conventional fan structuredisposed within electronic goods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a fan structure 100 in accordance with a firstembodiment of the present invention includes a cap 110, a fixing shaft120, a bearing 130, an impeller 140, a protection lid 150, a stator 160,a circuit board 170 and a base 180. In this embodiment, the cap 110 isdisposed on the base 180, wherein the stator 160 and the circuit board170 are coupled to the cap 110 utilized for driving the impeller 140into rotation.

With reference to FIG. 1 again, the cap 110 comprises a bottom portion111, a body 112 in connection with the bottom portion 111 and anaccommodating space 113 surrounded by the body 112. The fixing shaft 120is disposed within the accommodating space 113 and comprises a first endportion 121, a second end portion 122 and a middle portion 123 locatedbetween the first end portion 121 and the second end portion 122. Thefirst end portion 121 of the fixing shaft 120 is coupled to the bottomportion 111 of the cap 110. In this embodiment, the first end portion121 of the fixing shaft 120 is cladded by the bottom portion 111 of thecap 110, and the second end portion 122 of the fixing shaft 120protrudes to the body 112.

With reference to FIG. 1, the bearing 130 comprises an axial hole 131coupled to the middle portion 123 of the fixing shaft 120. The bearing130 is disposed within the accommodating space 113 of the cap 110, andthe second end portion 122 of the fixing shaft 120 protrudes to thebearing 130. The impeller 140 comprises a hub 141, a penetration hole142 and a plurality of blades 143 coupled to the hub 141, wherein thepenetration hole 142 is formed at the hub 141, and the hub 141 of theimpeller 140 is coupled to the bearing 130. In this embodiment, the hub141 comprises a combining portion 141 a located within the accommodatingspace 113, and the combining portion 141 a of the hub 141 is coupled tothe bearing 130. The cap 110, the bearing 130 and the stator 160 arecovered with the hub 141. The second end portion 122 of the fixing shaft120 passes through the penetration hole 142 and protrudes to the hub141. When the impeller 140 starts to rotate, potential interferencebetween the fixing shaft 120 and the hub 141 does not occur owning tothe reason that the inner diameter of the penetration hole 142 is largerthan the outer diameter of the fixing shaft 120.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the second end portion 122 of the fixingshaft 120 protrudes to the hub 141, the protection lid 150 couples tothe second end portion 122 of the fixing shaft 120, and the protectionlid 150 is spaced apart from the hub 141 by an interval D. Through theinterval D, potential interference between the protection lid 150 andthe hub 141 will not be occurred. Therefore, when the impeller 140 ofthe fan structure 100 is driven to rotate, the protection lid 150 mayblock lubricants utilized for lubricating the bearing 130 fromsplashing. Furthermore, when the fan structure 100 is installed within anotebook or a tablet personal computer (not shown in Figs.), theprotection lid 150 prevents the impeller 140 from being compressed by anexternal force to avoid destruction of the fan structure 100 for thereason that the protection lid 150 couples to the second end portion 122of the fixing shaft 120 and covers the top of the hub 141.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the hub 141comprises a top surface 141 b, a slot 141 c, a blocking wall 141 d and abottom surface 141 e. The bearing 130 can be restrained by the bottomsurface 141 e of the hub 141, and the slot 141 c is recessed from thetop surface 141 b. The protection lid 150 comprises a ring wall 151accommodated within the slot 141 c, wherein the ring wall 151 is spacedapart from the slot 141 c to define a restriction passage P1. When theimpeller 140 is driven to rotate by the stator 160, the restrictionpassage P1 enables to prevent dirt from entering the penetration hole142 of the impeller 140 to avoid abrasion or destruction of the impeller140. The blocking wall 141 d is disposed at the slot 141 c and locatedbetween the fixing shaft 120 and the ring wall 151, wherein the blockingwall 141 d is spaced apart from the protection lid 150 to define ablocking passage P2. When the impeller 140 is in rotation, the blockingpassage P2 enables to prevent lubricants for lubricating the bearing 130from flinging from the penetration hole 142 of the impeller 140. Inaddition, the blocking wall 141 d prevents lubricants from flowing overthe blocking passage P2. In this embodiment, the blocking wall 141 dcomprises a height H1, the slot 141 c comprises a depth H2, preferably,and the height H1 of the blocking wall 141 d is not smaller than thedepth H2 of the slot 141 c. Besides, the blocking passage P2 is incommunication with the restriction passage P1. When the impeller 140 isin rotation, lubricants can be limited within the bearing 130 through apressure difference between the blocking passage P2 and the restrictionpassage P1. A stirring layer L is formed on a first surface 141 f of theslot 141 c and a second surface 141 g of the blocking wall 141 d forpreventing lubricants from attaching to the first surface 141 f and thesecond surface 141 g. Preferably, another stirring layer L that isformed on an inner surface 153 of the protection lid 150 preventslubricants from attaching to the inner surface 153.

A second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3, afan structure 100 includes the cap 110, the fixing shaft 120, thebearing 130, the impeller 140, the protection lid 150, the stator 160,the circuit board 170 and the base 180. The primary difference betweenthe second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the penetrationhole 142 comprises a ring surface 142 a facing toward the second endportion 122 of the fixing shaft 120, wherein the ring surface 142 a canbe an inclined plane. In this embodiment, the protection lid 150comprises a coupling base 152 having an inclined surface 152 a facingtoward the bearing 130, and the second end portion 122 of the fixingshaft 120 is coupled to the coupling base 152. When the impeller 140 isin rotation, splashing lubricants enable to flow back into the bearing130 by means of the ring surface 142 a of the penetration hole 142 andthe inclined surface 152 a of the coupling base 52.

A third embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 4, afan structure 100 includes the cap 110, the fixing shaft 120, thebearing 130, the impeller 140, the protection lid 150, the stator 160,the circuit board 170 and the base 180. The primary difference betweenthe third embodiment and the first embodiment is that the fan structure100 further includes a limiting ring 190 limited between the hub 141 andthe bearing 130, the fixing shaft 120 comprises a limiting slot 124, andthe limiting ring 190 is coupled to the limiting slot 124.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the present invention illustratesthat the second end portion 122 of the fixing shaft 120 protrudes to thehub 141 and the protection lid 150 couples to the second end portion 122of the fixing shaft 120. Therefore, when the impeller 140 is inrotation, the protection lid 150 provides the hub 141 of the impeller140 with protection to prevent the impeller 140 from being compressed byan external force to avoid destruction of the fan structure 100.

While this invention has been particularly illustrated and described indetail with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will beclearly understood by those skilled in the art that it is not limited tothe specific features and describes and various modifications andchanges in form and details may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fan structure including: a cap having a bottomportion, a body and an accommodating space; a fixing shaft disposedwithin the accommodating space, the fixing shaft comprises a first endportion coupled to the bottom portion, a second end portion protruded tothe body and a middle portion located between the first end portion andthe second end portion; a bearing disposed within the accommodatingspace, the bearing comprises an axial hole coupled to the middle portionof the fixing shaft, and the second end portion of the fixing shaftprotrudes to the bearing; an impeller having a hub coupled to thebearing and a penetration hole formed at the hub, wherein the second endportion of the fixing shaft passes through the penetration hole andprotrudes to the hub; and a protection lid coupled to the second endportion of the fixing shaft, the protection lid and the hub are spacedapart from each other by an interval.
 2. The fan structure in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the hub comprises a top surface and a slotrecessed from the top surface, the protection lid comprises a ring wallaccommodated within the slot, and the ring wall is spaced apart from theslot to define a restriction passage.
 3. The fan structure in accordancewith claim 1, wherein the hub comprises a top surface, a slot recessedfrom the top surface and a blocking wall disposed at the slot, theprotection lid comprises a ring wall accommodated within the slot, theblocking wall is located between the fixing shaft and the ring wall, andthe blocking wall is spaced apart from the protection lid to define ablocking passage.
 4. The fan structure in accordance with claim 3,wherein the blocking wall comprises a height, the slot comprises adepth, and the height is not smaller than the depth.
 5. The fanstructure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the penetration holecomprises a ring surface, the ring surface can be an inclined ringsurface.
 6. The fan structure in accordance with claim 5, wherein thering surface faces toward the second end portion of the fixing shaft. 7.The fan structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein the protection lidcomprises a coupling base having an inclined surface, the second endportion of the fixing shaft is coupled to the coupling base, and theinclined surface faces toward the bearing.
 8. The fan structure inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the hub comprises a combining portionlocated within the accommodating space of the cap, and the combiningportion of the hub is coupled to the bearing.
 9. The fan structure inaccordance with claim 2, wherein a stirring layer is formed on a firstsurface of the slot.
 10. The fan structure in accordance with claim 3,wherein a stirring layer is formed on a second surface of the blockingwall.
 11. The fan structure in accordance with claim 1, wherein astirring layer is formed on an inner surface of the protection lid. 12.A fan structure including: a fixing shaft having a first end portion anda second end portion; an impeller having a hub and a penetration holeformed at the hub, wherein the second end portion of the fixing shaftpasses through the penetration hole and protrudes to the hub; and aprotection lid coupled to the second end portion of the fixing shaft,the protection lid and the hub are spaced apart by an interval.
 13. Thefan structure in accordance with claim 12, wherein the hub comprises atop surface and a slot recessed from the top surface, the protection lidcomprises a ring wall accommodated within the slot, and the ring wall isspaced apart from the slot to define a restriction passage.
 14. The fanstructure in accordance with claim 12, wherein the hub comprises a topsurface, a slot recessed from the top surface and a blocking walldisposed at the slot, the protection lid comprises a ring wallaccommodated within the slot, the blocking wall is located between thefixing shaft and the ring wall, and the blocking wall is spaced apartfrom the protection lid to define a blocking passage.
 15. The fanstructure in accordance with claim 14, wherein the blocking wallcomprises a height, the slot comprises a depth, and the height is notsmaller than the depth.
 16. The fan structure in accordance with claim13, wherein a stirring layer is formed on a first surface of the slot.17. The fan structure in accordance with claim 14, wherein a stirringlayer is formed on a second surface of the blocking wall.
 18. The fanstructure in accordance with claim 12, wherein a stirring layer isformed on an inner surface of the protection lid.